Pak National T20 finallists to play in CL

The PCB said winners of next month's National Twenty20 Championship will participate in the Champions League to be held in December this year.

Written by Press Trust of India

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Karachi:

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday said winners of next month's National Twenty20 Championship will participate in the Champions League to be held in December this year.

Making it clear that the champions of the last domestic Twenty20 championship would not represent Pakistan in the $6 million Champions League, PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said this year's Twenty20 was very significant given the lack of international cricket opportunities for Pakistani players.

"There is added incentive for the winners this year as they will represent Pakistan in the prestigious Champions League," he said.

In the Champions League, victorious Twenty20 teams from Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and England will compete with the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Kings who played the final of the Indian Premier League.

The National Twenty20 Championship will be the first major cricket event in Pakistan after the Asia Cup held in June and July.

Naghmi also made it clear that only players who represent their regional teams in the national championship would be considered for selection for the Twenty20 four-nation international event being held in Toronto from October 10.

He announced that a total of 13 regional teams would compete in the championship after being divided into four groups.

The Twenty20 tournament has become one of the most successful domestic cricket events in Pakistan with matches drawing crowds in thousands.